In the area of Internet radio, Ferndale-based Livio Radio has been one of the leading innovators for several years now. Their newest product in this arena takes us to the automobile, where its new Bluetooth Internet Radio Car Kit (aka “The Kit”) acts as a connector between your smartphone and your car stereo, using Bluetooth A2DP technology.I recently tested out the product, and I’ll take you through the highs and lows of my experience with it.LOOKS, SETUPThere is a basic, two-part design on The Kit. You have the device itself, a small unit this fits in the palm of your hand, which attaches to an adaptor that plugs into your car’s 12-volt power slot (aka the lighter port).there is a flexible neck on the device, so you can adjust its location in the car and have it be out of your way so it doesn’t interfere with your driving.The setup on this device, which works as an FM transmitter, is very simple. just turn it on, and it will display what station to set your radio to in order to hear the streamed content from the content. Then, you’ll have to make the Bluetooth connection to the device from your smartphone.It should automatically connect every time after the initial setup.to put it in plain English, once you have paired your phone to the car stereo via The Kit (a fast process, just minutes), whatever comes through your phone now will come through your car’s speakers. Content from Livio Radio’s app also can be streamed (including FM, AM and Internet based stations), or programs like Pandora, Slacker, etc. even for people who aren’t tech-savvy, it is not hard to set up.CONTROLSThere are a variety of buttons on The Kit, which can be used to control your music without picking up the device while you are driving. You have buttons for Play, Stop, FF, Rewind, Pause, which can be used on Pandora or iTunes, or switch between stations on the Livio app.You can also make BlueTooth calls with your voice through The Kit, which not only is safer, but also is within the law. with many states, including Michigan, cracking down on texting and other phone activities while driving, anything that can be done by voice is a plus. My calling experience wasn’t perfect, and it’s obviously not the same as a Bluetooth in-ear due to the distance to the microphone, but I was able to have conversations through the device without any major concerns.The device has call and hangup buttons for calling. there is also a “tag” button (which tags a song, so you buy it later on your phone via iTunes), recommendation button (suggests similar stations), and a button to launch the Livio app.LIVIO APPThere are two versions of the Livio Radio app, a free one and a paid one for $4.99. You automatically get the paid version of the app when you buy The Kit.What you get access to via the paid app is a total of 45,000+ radio streams, so you’ll never run out of options to consider. Favorites can be saved on the app so you don’t have to search for them every time.SO WHAT’S THE POINT?The idea of The Kit, in short, is to offer as much use of the Livio Radio experience in your car while you drive, without requiring you to play with your phone and possible get into an accident. once you learn the location of the buttons, you can keep your eyes focused straight ahead so you won’t be distracted from the most important thing you’re doing – driving.The streaming will work even if the phone is tossed in the back seat and not by your site. I’d almost recommend putting it in the back of the car, so you aren’t tempted to pick it up. Set your station, hit play, and then control volume with your car stereo. I always recommend being safe, so I wouldn’t start playing around and changing stations in the car while you’re driving. just use the controls on The Kit to forward past songs if needed.Sound, etc.My biggest complaint about The Kit is the interference I would sometimes hear when driving in certain areas, which made it sound muddled. Usually music came through my speakers loud and clear, but this interference (not an uncommon problem with FM transmitters) did pop up from time to time.I would also recommend finding a good position for the device, or it could get in the way of your steering wheel and distract you on the road. Keep it a safe distance from where you’ll find your hands when you are driving and making turns.also, the simple fact that you have to attach something to your car to make this work will turn some people off, as they will prefer the built-in technology on most new cars that allows for streaming (beware though, that there can be monthly costs associated with these new cars; such as a monthly satellite radio of $15 or more).Alternative to satelliteLivio is pushing The Kit as an alternative to satellite radio. Why spend that $15 each month when you can buy one item and be set with endless online audio in the car, they say? This is a good argument, but kind of like the whole cable cord cutting trend, it’s not going to be done by mass amounts of people right away. Only a certain percentage of people are even aware of something like this.FYI: The Kit is fully integrated with the iPhone at this point, but I was still able to do most of what it does on an Android phone. The full Android version is coming soon.one thing some people will like is that The Kit eliminates wires, so you won’t have to physically to connect your phone to your car stereo. there is an AUX cable included, though, just in case you really need it.Other featuresIf you have a screen in your car with a scrolling readout, the name of the song currently streaming will scroll across your screen.one feature I really liked is that The Kit has a USB charger on it, so you can charge your phone while you drive (because we all know that phone batteries can be notoriously bad).there is also a noise-canceling feature, so the person you are speaking to shouldn’t hear a bunch of wind coming from your end of the call.PRICEThe Kit has a suggested price of $119.99, but it can be found online for about $100 (amazon.com, etc.)BOTTOM LINEThe Bluetooth Internet Radio Car Kit is another innovative device from Livio Radio, which helps bring the music of the Internet flowing into your vehicle, and allows you to manipulate your music selections in the car without fiddling with your phone.As I advise with all electronics in the car, be safe and be careful to set things up how you want them before you get on the road.This device is a good option for travelling, because when you are on long road trips good radio might be hard to find. This allows you to hear what you want.But the price may be off-putting to some, even with the knowledge that you’re avoiding satellite fees. It’s up to each person to determine whether the device is worth it for their circumstances.I just know that my experience with the device was a mostly positive one, and with everyone streaming music through their phones these days, it’s nice to have some more wireless options to help get that sound to the big car speakers. there are likely other less expensive options on the market, but they probably won’t offer all the features on the Livio product.Matt Myftiu can be reached at or 248-745-4617. Follow him on Twitter @MattMyftiu or become a fan of the Facebook page “OPTechTime” to see the latest technology news and reviews.for more information on Livio Radio’s Bluetooth Internet Radio Car Kit, visitlivioradio.com
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